ARTIST STATEMENT

When you grow up in a small neighborhood surrounded by Indiana’s endless corn fields there isn’t much to do. A majority of my childhood was spent watching cartoons and participating in extracurriculars. My parents made sure I got a taste from each sport and exposed me to the arts as well. I had music lessons and was in local theatre performances for years. However, art became the most important to me because there were no lessons. I most enjoyed drawing the characters in cartoons I watched like The Simpsons and Spongebob Squarepants. American cartoons were the reason I began drawing.  At some point soon after I realized that people had to draw these characters for their job. Once that idea was in my head I knew I wanted to grow up to draw my own cartoons. 

So, as stated cable animation is one of my major influences, but it isn’t my only. Because of my exposure to music at a young age the artwork from the music I was taught became a huge inspiration to me. Artists such as Stanley Mouse and Wes Wilson who created posters and album covers for some of the biggest names in rock are massive influences on my art. Printmakers such as AJ Masthay and Jim Pollock also inspire me because of their level of craftsmanship and their whimsical, yet graphic style. Both have become things I strive for in my own work. 

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